Pericapillary arteriovenous malformations angiographically manifested as cerebral venous malformations

• Published in: Neurological research (New York) 2001-07, Vol.23 (5), p.513-521
• Main Authors: Yamada, Shokei, Liwnicz, Boleslaw H., Thompson, Joseph R., Colohan, Austin R. T., Iacono, Robert P., Tran, James T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; ANGIOGRAPHY; Capillaries - abnormalities; Capillaries - diagnostic imaging; Capillaries - pathology; Cerebral Angiography; Cerebral Hemorrhage - congenital; Cerebral Hemorrhage - diagnostic imaging; Cerebral Hemorrhage - pathology; Cerebral Veins - abnormalities; Cerebral Veins - diagnostic imaging; Cerebral Veins - pathology; CEREBRAL VENOUS MALFORMATION; Child; Female; Headache - congenital; Headache - diagnostic imaging; Headache - pathology; HISTOLOGY; Humans; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations - diagnostic imaging; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations - pathology; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations - physiopathology; Magnetic Resonance Angiography; Male; Middle Aged; PERICAPILLARY AVM; Seizures - congenital; Seizures - diagnostic imaging; Seizures - pathology; SHUNTING ARTERIOLE; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0161-6412; 1743-1328
• DOI: 10.1179/016164101101198767

Cerebral venous malformations have been diagnosed by angiographic features and are considerd to be a benign anomaly. However, ample evidence indicates that stroke or similar symptomatology occurs in patients harboring a cerebral vascular malformation that was diagnosed angiographically as a venous malformation. The purpose of the study is to confirm the presence of a pericapillary arteriovenous malformation in these patients by analyzing the clinical history and surgical findings and correlating them with histological features. Thirteen patients were included in this study. Each patient fulfilled four criteria: 1. the patient was neurologically symptomatic; 2. the angiographic diagnosis was a venous malformation; 3. at operation, shunting arterioles (50-100 µm) were found to contribute to the malformation; and 4. histologically, a mixture of venous channels and arterioles with arterioles directly connected to venules was found. Based on the above findings, the malformation present in the 13 patients can be termed a 'pericapillary arteriovenous malformation'. Its angiographic distinction from the cerebral venous malformation requires technological advancement in the capability of magnifying images of arterioles and venules, along with improvement in image resolution. [Neurol Res 2001; 23: 513-521]